Guide for running flexible material



June 8, 1948. J. B. L YLE GUIDE FOR RUNNING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL 'Filed neo. 21, 1944 Patented Ilune 8, 1948 nNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,442,817 GUIDE FOR RUNNING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Jack B. Lyle, Paterson, N. J.

Application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,254

15 claims. (C1. 242-157) f This invention relates tomeans for guiding flexible material, for instance-cordage, wire and cable, and is particularly useful when the material is required to change its course of direction when running, or must have a guide to hold it in its course. In its preferred form it consists of a number of rings, preferably flat-sided, substantially cylindrical on the outer side, and on the inner side reversely curved, somewhat like a wedding ring reversed or turned outside in. These rings, when made of extremely hard material, last in use a Very long time. I have found that what is known in the trade as Cemented carbide, which possesses high Wear-resisting properties, is a satisfactory material for rings,

The rings may be mounted or held in some suitable opening, preferably round in cross-section, and if they are to guide the material in a curve, curved at the desired angle, which, by the way, requires much less space for the guiding device as a whole than when a sheave is employed.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification wherein one practicable form of my invention is illustrated; the accompanying drawings comprise the following:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a part of a stranding machine employing my invention in several forms.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the guide illustrated at the left hand end of Fig. 1. In this View the guide is of a size which is frequently employed in practice on materials such as steel and non-ferrous wires and strands.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the guide shown at the lower left hand end of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 shows one of the preferred forms of ring very much enlarged.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is made to a machine in which it has been used. A part of one of such machines is illustrated in Fig. 1, and shows several forms of this invention, Fig. 1 showing the cross-section of a stranding machine rotor, the body proper I of which is caused to revolve by means of a V pulley II forming part of the body. Within this part of vthe revolving structure are shown two cradles I3 and I4, which stand practically still while the casing revolves. The material being treated I5, coming from the cradle I3, passes through one of the improved guides I6, which stands still with the cradle, its supporting housing I1 revolving with the part III to which it is fastened; it then goes to other of my guides I8, I9 and 20, all fast with part I0. to the point 2l, where it and strands of material 22 and 23.

2 coming from another part of the machine and from the cradle I4, meet and are twisted together. The material 23, going from cradle I4, passes through a guide 24, similar to the guide I6 of cradle I3, but goes directly to the point 2| of twisting. The material 22 coming from the rear of the machine passes through the guide 25, illustrated in Fig. 2, thence to the shell of the machine to the guide 26, illustrated in Fig. 3, along the shell to the guide 21, thence in an oblique direction to the guide 28 and to the meeting and twisting point 2|.

It may now be in order to describe some of the forms of guide used; in this illustrative form of machine. That shown in detail in Fig. 2, and seen at the left hand endv of Fig. 1, is represented by the character 25 and comprises a piece of, we will say, metal 30 having a hole. 3| through it in the direction of movement of the material being treated and flaring as at 32. The hole is preferably round in cross-section and develops into the enlargement 32, which is preferably much larger at its, outer part 33 than the bending tube. This tube comprises a number of very hard rings 34, formed of high wear-resisting material, each ring having iiat opposite sides 35, 35, a cylindrical outer surface 36, and a rounded or convex inner surface 31,-see Fig. 4. Part of the tube, the collection of rings 34 and their enclosing casing of coiled-wire 38 are positioned within the guide 36. The other end, toward the right in the illustration, is free for adjustment itself to the angle required of it in the reach to the guide 26 at the outer part of the casing I0. It will be noted here that for a sheave giving the same radius of bend as this device, the space required in the plane of bending would be increased many times. The formA of the guide 26 is shown at the bottom of Fig. l` (strictly, it will not be the bottom since IIl rotates), near its left hand end, and illustrated enlarged in Fig. 3.

One form of the ring 34 is shown in Fig. 4 very much enlarged. In Fig. 3` there is a bent tube 40 encasing an assembly of rings 34 carried in a flexible member 38, which may be made of metal or composition.- At the entering'end of the flexible member 38 a ring 4I is appliedto the flexible member 38. Outwardly of the ring 4I, electrical welding 42 or the like, may be applied, as well as the smaller ring 43, and at the opposite or exit end of the spring coil 38 is provided an end convolution 38a, of smaller diameter than the remainder of said spring coil to hold said series of rings 34 properly in place within said spring coil 38. The right hand end of the tube members for retaining said annular members in` assembled relation.

2. A device of the character described cornprising a guide having a curved passage extend-` ing therethrough, a resilient tubular member-'in said curved passage, and -a series of 'annularmembers of high wear-resisting material arranged side-by-side and flexibly retained 'in assembled relation within said resilient tubular member.

3. A device of the character described v'comprising a tubular enclosure, 4a, series .oi individual annular members of high wear-resistingmaterial arranged in said enclosure .in :side-'by-siderelation, and resilient means disposed in said enclosure and surrounding said annular members for maintaining said series-of=annularimembers in assembled relation. l

4. A device of the character described comprising a tubular enclosure, afseries-of individual annular members of high wear-resisting material each member having a ilat outer sur-face fand a curved inner surface, said membersfbeing vdisposed in said enclosure -inside-by-side relation and forming a continueus'lining, acoil'spiral surrounding said annular -members for maintaining the same flexibly in assembled relation; said coil spiral being interposed between ltheouter sides of said series of annular members and the inner wall of said tubular-enclosure.

5. A device of the -character -'described comprising a tubular enclosure, a 'series'cf individual annular members of highWear-'resisting material disposed in said enclosure in -side-by-side relation; said annular members having transversely rounded inner surfaces, and a coil spring surrounding said annular members Afor maintaining l the same ilexibly in assembled relation.

6. A device of the character described comprising a tubularenclosure, -a series-of individual annular members of high wear-resisting material disposed in said enclosure 4in side-by-side Arelation; saidannular -members 'havingV transversely rounded inner surfaces; a. coil spring 4sur-rounding said annular members 'for maintaining Ythe same flexibly in assembled relation, and means at the opposite endsof said enclosure for securing said annular members against longitudinal movement Within said coil spring.

7. A device of the character described comprising a tubular enclosure, a plurality of annular members composed of cemented carbide-disposed in side-by-side relation Yin said enclosure, land resilient means disposed about said annular members for holding =the same flexibly in assembled relation.

8. A device of the character described comprising a tubular" enclosure, a plurality 'of annular members of cemented carbidefdisposedin said enclosure, and a spring coil surrounding said annular members for holding the same in assembled relation.

9. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinally curved tubular enclosure. a plurality of annular members of cemented carbide disposed in said enclosure, and a spring coil surrounding said annular members for holding the same flexibly in assembled relation.

10. A device of the character described comprising a series of annular members of high wearresisting material arranged in side-by-side relation, said annular members having fiat outer surfaces, and-a flexible, resilient tubular member surrounding said series of annular members for maintaining the same ilexibly in assembled rel1. A device of the character described comprising-a series of annular members of high wearresisting material arranged in side-by-side relation, said annular members having flat outer surfaces, and a closely-wound spring coil surrounding said series of annular members I'for maintaining the same iiexibly in assembled relation.

12. A device of the character described comprising aseries of'annular members of high-weanresisting material 'arranged in side-by-side relation, said annular members having at outer surfaces, a` closely-wound spring coil surrounding said vseries of annular members 'for maintaining the same `flexibly in assembled relation, and meanssecured to the vopposite ends of saidspring coil for Vretaining said annular members Within said spring coil.

13. A device oi the character described comprising a series of annular membersof .cemented carbide arranged in side-by-side relation, said annular 'members having flat outer surfaces, is. closely-wound spring coil surroundingrsaidseries of annular 4members `for maintaining fthe 4same flexibly inV assembled relation, and .means secured to the opposite ends of said spring :coil for 1retaining said annular members .against :longitudinal displacement within said spring coll.

14. `A guide 'for a running flexible material, comprising a-hollow body, a. `plurality 0I ringsof hard material disposed interiorly -of `saidhollow body, -each ring having a at `outer surface anda curved 'inner surface, and resilient Ameans embracing saidrings at their said ilat 'surfaces fand arran'gedto hold said `ringsito one another while permitting the bending -of their assembly.

15. A guide as defined by claim 14 jin which the radius of curvature of the `curved iinnersurface-of said ringc'onforms-to the radius of curvature of thepath of travel of the flexible material.

JACKB.LYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are 'of 'record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 24,222 Burney May 31, '1859 393,042 Trowbridge Nov. 20, 1888 418,695 Deane Jan. '1, 1890 444,866 Werner Jan. 20, 1891 

